


Star-Crossed

by Bougainvilleaz



Category: Heneral Luna (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-18 19:10:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5939965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bougainvilleaz/pseuds/Bougainvilleaz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Miong's a basketball player, Pole's a member of the debate team. Another forbidden romance. You know the drill.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! This is a little something based on Tumblr user magdiwang's Mabinaldo HSM AU! It's heavily inspired by my own high school experiences, specifically those in Grade 10. Hope you enjoy it!

6:30 AM. Almost an hour before the bell rang. Pole was going to have to stay focused if he wanted to finish reviewing before class started.

He didn’t want to give anything less than his best. After all, he was a scholar, and he felt that he was putting the school’s money to waste if he didn’t maintain his grades at consistently get First Honors.

The classroom was thankfully quiet today. On most days, the basketball players would be talking about whatever inane topic happened to cross their mind. Fortunately, there was practice today, which meant Pole could study in peace.

Pole didn’t dislike those people. In fact, he found them quite entertaining. However, he couldn’t tolerate their ways. They had a world-quality education handed to them on a silver platter, but instead of working to their full potential they simply studied just enough to pass. Pole looked down on people like that. They weren’t stupid, they were lazy. Which was even worse in Pole’s book, because at least stupid people worked extra hard to keep up with the others.

6:49 AM. Pole had a little more than ten minutes before practice ended. Only a few more minutes of sweet quiet, he thought. Breezing through his carefully written notes for the third time in a row, Pole could feel his heart pounding. He got 83% in the last long test, and needed to ace today’s test if he wanted to get First Honors.

“Wassup mga people!” a voice boomed. Emilio “Miong” Aguinaldo, captain of the basketball varsity.

Pole’s friendship with him was an odd one. He lived right outside Miong’s subdivision, and the two met as children one day on the subdivision’s playground. Pole had brought his brothers and sisters along to play, and happened to be spotted by Miong, who was practicing basketball in the court.

Recognizing him as an outsider, Miong challenged him to a one-on-one. He probably assumed that just because Pole was from the streets, he automatically knew how to play basketball. But alas, he was more likely to shut himself in his room studying than go gallivanting around the neighborhood like his other siblings.

Admitting he didn’t know how to play, Pole eventually received basketball lessons from the other boy, marking the start of their friendship. On weekends, Pole would visit the playground and just chat with Miong. During the summer, he would stay over at the Aguinaldos’ mansion, which was located right in front of the playground. This went on for several years.

Miong was the one constant that stayed with Pole as he went into high school. He was grateful to have him as a friend, since Pole wasn’t exactly a sociable person. Sure, he had his teammates in the debate club, but he only talked to them once a week. Pole didn’t really share his thoughts, but when he did, he didn’t hold anything back. He liked being straight to the point with his criticisms, and disliked sugarcoating his words. As a result, he was generally disliked by the majority of his classmates. How he got voted vice president of the class was beyond him.

Fortunately, he got to work alongside Miong, who was voted class president. Pole always thought of Miong as everything he wasn’t - attractive, popular, and full of charisma. During soirees, it was always Miong who got the most attention from girls, whereas Pole would just idle time in a corner and take advantage of the free food.

Of course, Pole could see why Miong would get the attention. He was tall, broad-shouldered and had a good physique. His features were manly and rugged, especially his strong jawline. He also had tanned skin and his dimples would show every time he smiled.

Pole conceded that he found Miong attractive. Any sane person would. But he rationalized it as being part of his orientation and was thus something naturally occurring. What he didn’t like was that physical attraction and emotional investment were like baking soda and vinegar. The two of them combined made this frustrating nuisance called love.

* * *

Pole detested the feeling of love. He hated how even the tiniest gesture from Miong could send his heart racing, how thoughts of his friend persistently entered his mind even when he was trying to study. Pole considered himself to be a very logical person, and so he was frustrated by how his emotions would go haywire when it came to Miong. Should he be kinder, or distance himself? Was Miong even worth pursuing? For the first time in his life, Pole didn’t have an answer.

Pole didn't even know why he had these feelings. Wasn't his life already difficult enough? What greater force decided for him to have the misfortune for falling in love with his best friend? Wasn't it enough that he study day and night so he could somehow provide for his family? Wasn't it enough that he lost the use of his legs because of polio? Often, Pole felt that it was too much. He hated how he couldn't talk about it to Miong, whom he usually opened up to about his problems. Now, Miong himself was the problem.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pole watches Miong play basketball.

“Nood ka ng Intrams mamaya?” Miong asked as he began taking off his jersey. Pole sometimes wondered if he was intentionally doing this, talking to him while shirtless. What further bugged him was that Miong didn’t put on his shirt immediately after taking off his jersey. No no, he’d just sit there and joke around with his teammates. Pole tried to tear his eyes away, but the view was much too breathtaking. Miong’s muscles were chiseled and glistening with sweat. Pole’s gaze slowly went from Miong’s broad shoulders to his bulging pectorals, then down to his six-pack. Why did he have to gain this much muscle last summer, Pole asked himself. He swore, the guy didn’t have an ounce of fat on his body. Miong had always had an athletic build, but come high school his shoulders got so much broader, giving him a v-shaped torso. Catching himself staring again, Pole quickly put his eyes back on his notes. He needed to study, dammit. With all the ruckus inside the classroom, there were already enough distractions to his studies. Why did I have to go to an all-boys school, he asked himself.

The day went by without anything major happening - other than the long test, that is. Once the final class had ended, Pole began packing his things, going over the assignments he had listed down in his planner and determining which textbooks to bring home.

“Ano homework?” Miong asked. This was a daily routine. Pole always gave him the homework, but he didn’t appreciate how Miong would groan about how much stuff they needed to do rather than thank him. However, Pole knew that he was probably just getting hurt for no reason, which is what one is inclined to do when they’re in love.

* * *

Pole wheeled himself down to the covered courts. The game didn’t seem to be starting yet. He could see his classmates practicing shots on the half-court. They were all lined up on the three-point line. After one would shoot, he’d go to the back of the line while the next in line would take his place. Among them was Miong, who stood out due to his height. After around five minutes, Pole noticed that Miong had moved to behind the ring, passing the ball to the next shooter instead of practicing shooting himself. He probably doesn’t need it, Pole mused. It struck him how that little gesture showed how selfless Miong was. You could say that Miong was a born leader. Pole could tell by how he took his job as class president seriously. It wasn’t just about self-aggrandization; he served others because he knew that he was made for the job. Miong was really service-oriented, and that quality of his really shone through in even the smallest of actions.

Before long, the game started. Pole didn’t really pay attention to the first quarter, mostly because Miong only played during the second and fourth quarters. The score was 15-17, with the opponent leading. Pole wasn’t worried, though. Miong was known for scoring a lot of shots within a short amount of time, gaining their team a large lead within a single quarter or closing the gap whenever things became dire.

Second quarter. Pole’s heart began pounding in his chest. It couldn’t be the excitement of the basketball game - he couldn’t find watching sports interesting even if he forced himself. Especially not basketball. But whenever he saw Miong play, it was like he could feel his passion for basketball. Not only was it inspiring, but Pole felt that his being passionate was mainly what made him so attractive. Miong gave his all in whatever he decided to pursue, and Pole wished he had that kind of fervor for life. Sure, he put effort into were academics and debate, but that was it. With debate, he wasn’t even so sure. He was good even from the get-go, so he didn’t think he actually put in a lot of effort despite producing good results (such as winning 3rd best speaker in the latest debate meet).

Miong was killing it on the court. He was quite agile, faking movements to misdirect the opponents. He was also one of the fastest on the team, covering the court’s distance ahead of everyone pursuing him. Pole wondered, was he in love with Miong just because he was a good basketball player? Or was it because he knew that Miong excelled to bring honor to the class instead of himself? All of these thoughts were suddenly overwhelming to Pole. He wheeled himself away from the court and to the nearby soccer field. He felt like he couldn’t breathe. Like he was being choked by his own feelings.

* * *

“Huy, okey ka lang?” he suddenly heard Miong ask.

“Ba’t ka nandito? You should go back to the court.”

“End of second quarter na. Fourth quarter pa ako ulit maglalaro.”

I know, Pole almost said. As if he didn’t pay attention to every little detail about Miong’s life.

“So ayos ka lang? Parang namumutla ka,” Miong continued.

“May sakit lang ako,” Pole lied. He could feel that he was beginning to sweat. Even when he looked concerned, Miong was handsome.

“Ah, sige sige. Ingat,” Miong said as he pat Pole’s shoulder before running back to the court.

“Oo nga pala,” Miong shouted to Pole. “Pwede mo ba ako tulungan sa Math mamaya? PM na lang kita.”

“Sure.”

* * *

They won the game. The final score was 37-41, their victory thanks to the nine-point lead Miong was able to obtain during the second quarter. With his classmates’ cheers practically making him deaf, Pole fixed his eyes on Miong, who was grinning like crazy while exchanging hugs with his teammates. If they could win one more game against the same section, they’d be going onto the finals. Pole imagined wheeling himself onto the middle of the court and kissing Miong to congratulate him, in front of everyone to see. What a pathetic, desperate fantasy, he thought to himself.


	3. Chapter 3

Miong was the last person Pole expected to be at the door. 

Right after the Intrams game, Pole discovered he was coming down with a fever.

Disappointed that he was going to have to stay home and recover for at least two days, he decided to drop by National and use whatever savings he had for the month to buy books to read in bed.

On his second day at home, he heard a knock downstairs.

“Pole! Kaklase mo! Paakyatin ko?” His mother shouted to him from the doorway.

“Sige po ma,” Pole replied without thinking.

Into his bedroom came Miong, clad in a tank top and shorts that went a little above his knee. Between Miong’s toned arms and sinewed legs, Pole hoped it wasn't too obvious that he was staring.

Miong sat down on the foot of the bed.

“...Ito yung homework na na-miss mo,” Miong said as he handed over a handful of papers. He knew how important grades were to Pole.

“Sana hinintay mo na lang ako sa school. Papasok na ako bukas.” 

“Wala man lang thank you?” Miong playfully asked.

“Sige na nga. Thank you,” Pole replied as he stuck out his tongue.

“Gaano ba katindi sakit mo?” Miong asked as he put his hand on Pole’s forehead. Pole suppressed the urge to suddenly back away. Miong was getting way too close for comfort. 

“H-hindi naman seryoso. Lagnat lang,” he explained.

“Ba’t ka pa pumunta dito?” Pole asked.

“Wala lang. Namimiss kita sa school e.” 

Pole hoped and prayed to the Lord he wasn't blushing. After all, he was pale, so he knew any blushing he had would be pretty obvious.

“Invite kita sana mag-basketball,” Miong continued.

“You know I can't exactly play,” Pole said, gesturing towards his legs.

“Then you can watch me. Just like old times.”

* * *

Miong was in love with his best friend. Yes, a big tough guy like him was in love. He didn’t know why. He felt captivated by his wisdom every time he spoke in debate. He wanted to trace his fingers along his cheekbones. He just wanted to be with him always.

But he couldn’t. He was his best friend. Pole was probably too smart to be involved in something like love, anyway. All of Miong’s recent antics were done with intention - not that he was trying to seduce him, just show that he cared. That Pole meant so much to him. 

That’s why he was at his house. He had gone to school three days without his best friend, without his rock and foundation. He needed Pole, but he couldn’t let him know.

* * *

“Dinala mo ba yung Math textbook mo?” Miong asked.

“No, I left it at school. Bakit, may math homework ba?”

“Yeah, tas may seatwork on it pa tomorrow. We started with a new topic on the first day you were absent.”

“...Do you have yours ba?”

“Yeah, pero it’s at my house,” Miong explained. An idea began to form in his head.   
“Gusto mo mag-study na lang sa bahay ko?” he continued. “Para ma-tutor mo na rin ako sa Math.”

Wow, Pole thought. Just… wow. He was going to go to Miong’s house. And be alone with him. In his room. 

It’s just a harmless invitation, the logical part of Pole reasoned. After all, it’s not like you haven’t been there before.

“Sure,” Pole said after a pause he hoped wasn’t too noticeable. He made a conscious effort to stay calm, since getting riled up would entail him blushing, which would give it all away. Getting up, he noticed that his wheelchair was a bit too far from his bed. 

“Um, could you…” he began.

“Oh sure,” Miong said as he wheeled it closer to the edge of the bed.

Pole felt weak, but he managed to get himself onto the chair with little trouble. The thought of Miong carrying him bridal-style all the way to his house entered his mind. To be in his strong, muscular arms, to inhale his scent and feel the warmth of his body heat was something Pole was craving more than anything. But, he digressed, there were just some things you couldn’t have.

After asking permission from his parents (who were more than happy to see him out of the house and actually interacting with a human being) Pole wheeled his way to the Aguinaldo residence, accompanied by Miong. Looking up at the sky, he noticed that the clouds hung heavy over them. He hoped it wouldn’t rain, otherwise he’d have some difficulty getting home. Either that, or he’d have to call home and have one of his siblings fetch him.

Eventually, they arrived at the house. It bordered on the definition of a mansion, with its wide walls and tall roof. The house was styled in a Japanese manner, with white walls contrasting against a dark brown roof and other accents. A maid showed them inside. “Ang laki na pala ni Pole,” she remarked as she saw him. Pole struggled to remember her name, but he knew that she was one of the staff that would serve them iced tea whenever he would come over. He always made sure to be polite with her despite not knowing her name. Since his family was lower-middle class, he wasn’t exactly used to having a maid around.

“Oh…” Miong said as they reached the staircase. It then dawned on Pole that he hadn’t been here since the accident that cost him the use of his legs. 

“Paano na ‘to?” Miong asked.

“...Two trips. You carry me upstairs, then my wheelchair. Is that okay?”

“Ah, sure.” Miong said. He walked over to where Pole was, but seemed to hesitate. He doesn’t know where to put his hands, Pole mused. He then instructed Miong to put his hands behind his back and under his knees.  This is it, he thought to himself. This is what you’ve been wanting for a long time.

Miong lifted him up, slowly at first. The sensation of Miong’s hands on him were driving him wild, but he made sure to keep his composure.

“‘Wag kang masyadong kiligin,” Pole thought to himself. “Kalma lang.”

Their ascent felt like an instant. Miong put Pole down on the floor gingerly before returning downstairs to fetch the wheelchair. Why did he agree to carry him, Pole thought. Why didn’t he just call over a driver so they could just carry him up the stairs wheelchair and all? You’re probably just overthinking this, the voice in Pole’s head rang out. He only likes you as a friend.


End file.
